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No one knows how the 4-year-old bulldog, Cooper, made the 1,500-mile trek to Salem, but the dog seems no worse for wear and will soon be reunited with his owner.

Cooper showed up along Millville and Lake streets in Salem a week ago. Two women took him to police, assuming he was a lost local dog.

"He's in good condition, and they thought someone may give a call in a short period," said Animal Control Officer Corie Bliss.

But when no one called, Cooper was taken to the Salem Animal Rescue League.

"I took him out and scanned him for a microchip, and that's when it all unfolded," Bliss said.

"Somebody called me and said he was in New Hampshire," said Julie Shields, Cooper's owner. "I said, 'You know I'm in Florida, right?' She said, 'Yeah, we know everything about you. We found this microchip on your dog.'"

Most of Cooper's life has been a mystery. The dog showed up on Shields' doorstep in Naples, Florida a year and a half ago.